A Night To Be Thankful
by iloveromance
Summary: A decision made on Thanksgiving night brings an abundance of happiness. Expansion of Ch. 97 of "100 Moments", AU story based on a scene from "Crock Tales".
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: A gift of thanks to those of you who have been so supportive of my writing (you know who you are!) and especially for those who were kind enough to review my "100 Moments" story. This is an expansion of Ch. 97 from that story. Happy Thanksgiving! **_

The night was supposed to be festive; a gathering of family and friends. It was, after all, Thanksgiving Day, a holiday that Daphne wasn't quite yet accustomed to. But the idea of a holiday to give thanks was nothing short of wonderful and she was thankful for so many things; her health, her family and her job-a position that landed her in the midst of a wonderful family. She loved her own family of course and as much as they drove her crazy, she missed them terribly. But because England was so far away, she took comfort in knowing that she had people to love right here in Seattle, Washington. The condo on the nineteenth floor (1901 to be exact), was filled with those people, and despite their dislike of her cooking, the Crane men (as well as Roz and baby Alice) seemed to be enjoying themselves.  
>Well, most of them, anyway.<p>

She glanced worriedly at Niles, who looked like a scared little boy, clutching the bottle of wine in his arms.

The poor man.

He had gone through so much and Daphne was certain that he felt he had little to be thankful for that year. Until she'd overheard him telling his brother of his troubles, she had no idea things had gotten so bad. His marriage had ended, crumbling to his feet, and yet his ex-wife was still making his life miserable. He had no money available to him and the heat in his apartment (a place that he absolutely hated) had been turned off. It was wrong on so many levels that the thought made her want to cry.

She certainly didn't want to pity him, for she knew that he would never accept it anyway. But when he finished off his third consecutive glass of sherry and then stood up, she felt a tinge of worry.

"Dr. Crane, are you all right?"

He teetered a bit before finally regaining his balance, worrying her even further. "Yes, Daphne. I'm fine. I… I should go."

"So soon, Niles?"

Niles glared at Frasier, obviously catching (as Daphne had) the obvious sarcasm in the Frasier's voice. "Um, yes Frasier. I'm afraid so."

"Well, we'll certainly miss your _pleasant company_!" Frasier yelled.

"Dr. Crane, please!" Daphne shouted, no longer caring that, by putting her nose where it didn't belong, she was also putting her job at risk. But she could no longer bear to hear him speak to Niles so harshly; especially knowing all that he'd been through.

She turned to Niles and sighed. "Dr. Crane, I know this is none of my business but do you think it's wise to be driving? If you don't mind my saying so, you look a bit wobbly."

"I'm fine."

Daphne shot a worried look at Martin, who seemed to be the only sane person in the room. "Niles, don't be an idiot, all right? You're drunk! Just stay here with us! You can sleep on the sofa!"

"Dad, I'm not…um… drunk." Niles replied, quickly grabbing the sofa arm to keep from falling. "I'm just… look, I have to go, all right?"

"What's so important that you can't stay here? It's still Thanksgiving."

Niles' eyes rolled back into his head and he swayed once more. He was definitely not all right. "My point exactly, Dad. And I have things…. To do."

Martin scoffed. "Fine, drive home, then! See if I care. It's your funeral."

Daphne gasped, her hand covering her mouth at the abruptness of Martin's words. But she didn't dare say anything. Instead she looked at Niles who was heading for the coat rack to retrieve his coat. Daphne got there first, hesitantly removing his coat (It was the softest material she'd ever felt; most likely a very expensive cashmere) and handed it to him. "Here's your coat, Dr. Crane."

He smiled, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Thank you Daphne. And thank you for inviting me to dinner. It was wonderful, but you didn't have to go to so much trouble."

His words tore at her heart and she reached for his hand. "It was no trouble at all, Dr. Crane. You're family and you deserve…" She paused, ignoring the unsettling feeling that crept into her chest and the tears that formed in her throat. "Y-you're family." She said again. "You're always welcome here. But it's so cold tonight. Are you sure you can't stay? I'd be happy to make up the sofa for you."

Niles glared at Frasier, no doubt angry that his older brother had ruined his holiday, and then back at Daphne, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I can't stay. I… I have some things I need to do."

"Well, all right. But please be careful."

He smiled and squeezed her hand once more. "I will. Thank you, Daphne. Happy Thanksgiving. Dad? Happy Thanksgiving."

Martin merely nodded. "You too, Niles…"

She tried to hide her worry but she knew that Niles could see it in her eyes. And then she hugged him, letting a few tears fall onto his coat. "Goodbye, Dr. Crane."

"Goodbye, Daphne."

She watched helplessly as he entered the elevator and the doors closed. And then he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

She closed the door and said a silent prayer for Niles' safe return home. Why hadn't she insisted that he call when he arrived, to assure her that he'd made it home safely? Well, it was too late now. She couldn't very well hunt him down and remind him to call. He was a grown man, not a child. Besides, Niles was a smart man. He'd be perfectly fine. But as she worked on clearing the dishes from the dishwasher, the unsettling feeling in her stomach returned. Mindlessly she washed the dishes and put them way, barely aware of what she was doing. All she could think about was Niles and his emotional, tipsy state.

Almost forty minutes had passed since he stepped into the elevator, giving him ample time to get home. Perhaps she should call him, just to make sure that he was safe. Would it be so wrong? But what would she say? And what if Mr. Crane or Frasier were to overhear? Her eyes went repeatedly to the phone and the more she tried not to think about calling him, the more the worry consumed her.

She worked diligently, doing her best to concentrate on her efforts, but it was impossible. She could think of nothing; of no one, but her best friend. It suddenly dawned on her that she was, in a sense, alone in the condo. Frasier was nowhere to be found, most likely having gone to his room to read in privacy. Roz had quietly said her goodbyes in order to take Alice home for bed, and Mr. Crane was sitting in his chair, only half paying attention to the football game. As soon as his eyes closed, Daphne went to the television and turned down the volume, not surprised that he didn't move a muscle.

Her eyes darted to the phone once more and she took comfort in the soft noise of snoring that was now coming from Mr. Crane's chair. The way in which he was sleeping so soundly meant that there was little or no chance that he'd hear her phone conversation. But she didn't want to risk it.

Carefully she lifted the receiver from its base and carried it into her room, closing the door behind her. The trembling of her fingers made it impossible to dial, but her heart raced until finally the phone began to ring. She rehearsed in her mind what she wanted to say, but nothing seemed appropriate. Would she tell him that she was worried about him? Would she say she was calling to thank him for coming? She was so concerned about what she was going to say that she didn't realize that the phone had yet to be answered. And finally the ringing stopped. But when the voice mail picked up, her heart stilled. Something was definitely wrong.


	3. Chapter 3

She tried a second time and a third time, each time letting the phone ring until the voice mail picked up. And each time she became more and more worried. She hung up the phone, cutting off his recorded voice and dialed a fourth time… and a fifth….

"_Fine! Drive home intoxicated! See if I care_!" Martin had said. _"It's your funeral!" _

He'd meant it in a completely different way; she was certain of it. But she couldn't help but think…Oh God, why had she let him drive? He'd had too much to drink and she'd read enough articles and seen enough television to know that even a little alcohol could impair one's driving. Dr. Crane was a safe and cautious driver; she'd ridden with him enough times to know that. And she trusted him completely. But with the alcohol he'd already consumed…

Her chest began to ache with worry and the concealed tears fell onto her cheeks. It was next to impossible to will any irrational thoughts away. And they were coming faster and faster. She tried phoning him a sixth time, but it rang continuously, stopping as once again the sound of his recorded voice prompted her to leave a message. But when she attempted to speak, her voice trembled.

"Dr. Crane, it's Daphne… I…."

She hung up the phone, still in a daze, but she hesitated a long moment before a seventh time. Now it rang continuously, even bypassing the voice mail.  
>As her throat became tight with tears, she stood there in a daze, wondering what she should do. And finally the answer came, like an answered prayer.<p>

She crept down the hallway and peeked into Frasier's bedroom. To her relief, he was laying on his bed, his book in hand, having fallen asleep while reading. The sight made her smile and she ran into the living room, pleased to see that Mr. Crane was asleep as well. Eddie had bounded onto Martin's lap and was asleep as well and she was amazed that Martin seemed unfazed by the arrival of his faithful companion, who was now also sound asleep.

It was the perfect opportunity to carry out her plan.

She grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled a note that read simply;

_Gone to a friend's for the evening. Be back later. Don't wait up. Love, Daphne._

It certainly wasn't a lie, for she had no better friend. And she was so worried about him.

As quietly as possible, she began packing a few leftovers from dinner; some turkey, stuffing biscuits, some vegetables and of course a few pieces of pumpkin pie and some salad. When she was finished she filled a few shopping bags and placed them by the door. She just needed a few more things to make her visit complete.

And finally she was ready to go.

It was easier than she anticipated simply picking up her things and slipping into the hallway. When she reached her car she climbed inside, started the ignition and took a few deep breaths. Seconds later she pulled out of the parking garage en route to her destination.

She just hoped she wasn't too late.


	4. Chapter 4

When she arrived at the Shagri-La, Daphne shuddered at the sight. She'd been here before, several times in fact, most recently with Frasier and Martin when they'd helped Niles move in. Niles had been so upset, complaining the entire time about how his new home was beneath him. But despite Martin and Frasier's annoyance, Daphne had done her best to reassure Niles that the change was just for a little while and that with a little decorating, it could be a nice place to call home. She knew that he didn't believe her, but he thanked her just the same. Now she regretted the white lies. Even from the outside, this place was just awful. If the words _The Shangri-La Apartments_ hadn't been prominently displayed on the crumbling facade of the two-story building, she might have mistaken the place for a prison.

With a heavy sigh, she pulled into the small parking space and turned off the ignition. It took virtually no time at all to remove the bags from the backseat of the car and close the door. She turned and took a good look at the building in front of her It was, as Niles had mentioned earlier, far beneath the type of place he deserved to live.

But she shouldn't be thinking about that now. She had to find him, to make certain that he was all right. She just needed a sign, any sign...

And unbelievably, one came.

Her eyes landed on the copper-hued Lexus that sat in the parking lot, looking completely out of place among the other cars, most of which had seen better days. It was a sign of epic proportions.

He'd made it home.

Tears of relief streamed down her cheeks, but she quickly brushed them away. She couldn't let him see her like this. Swallowing hard, she she walked into the building, feeling strange not to be greeted by a doorman. Even more apprehension followed when she saw just how simple it was just to walk through the lobby to the elevator without a care in the world. After living at the Elliott Bay Towers for so long, she certainly wouldn't feel safe living here and she knew that Niles felt the same way.

She headed through the sparse lobby to the elevator, which moved painfully slow until it reached the second floor with a clamor, causing her to to hold onto the metal bar around the elevator to steady herself. And when the doors finally opened she made her way to Apartment 5G. Her hand trembled when she knocked on his door, the worry creeping into her chest. The building, as she'd almost immediately noticed, was absolutely freezing and she pulled her coat closer to her body, shivering. she wished that he had stayed at his brother's instead of insisting on coming home on this cold Thanksgiving night.

She knocked again, harder this time. "Dr. Crane, are you there?"

After a silence that was much too long, she heard the faint sounds of footsteps and then a chain rattling. And then he was standing before her, his hair slightly disheveled, still wearing the clothes he'd been wearing at dinner. But he was also wearing a look of surprise.


	5. Chapter 5

"Daphne..."

"I'm sorry to drop in without calling, but you said that your heat was out. I-I know that conversation was between you and your brother and I'm sorry for eavesdropping, but I'm worried about you."

His eyes lowered to the bags in her hands and then rose to meet her eyes. "What are those?"

"Oh... These are for you. Some leftovers from your brother's Thanksgiving dinner and some blankets."

"But... why..."

Her cheeks flushed. "I wanted to make sure that you were warm enough. And I thought you might get hungry later, so... I-I know it's not much, but-."

To her amazement his eyes filled with tears and he drew her into a bags in her hands fell gently to the floor and she leaned into him, her hand moving up and down his back in a gentle motion. She always felt so good in his arms.

"Thank you, Daphne. I can't tell you how much this means to me."

They held each other for a long moment before drawing back. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, I'm-."

"I was so worried about you driving home and I hoped that you'd call when you arrived. And when it seemed that a long time had passed, I couldn't help myself. Your brother and father had fallen asleep, but I just couldn't help thinking that if something had happened to you, I-."

"Dear God, Daphne I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to worry you and I know that it was wrong to drive in my condition. But I can assure you that I drove as slowly and as carefully as possible. The traffic that shared the roads with me weren't happy at all about that, and they let me know by their appalling hand gestures. Had I been driving the speed limit, I would have been home much faster, but as it were..."

"Well then... I feel a little silly for worrying so much. I didn't really expect you to call. You're certainly not a child. I just... you'd had so much to drink that I was afraid that it would impair your driving."

He was holding her again now, this time as the person providing the comfort. "Thank you, Daphne, for coming all this way to check on me. It means so much. If the situation had been reversed, I would have been worried about you as well. And I promise to call from now on."

She smiled nervously, as their eyes met. "Well... I didn't want to intrude on your privacy. I just wanted to make sure that you were okay. And it's nice to get out of your brother's condo for a while. But I should probably get back. I'm sure they are awake by now and are expecting dinner. If you need anything else, anything at all, just let me know."

"Daphne-."

"Oh, before I go, let me put these things in your refrigerator, although it's so cold in here, they might not need it." she laughed nervously at the tasteless joke, grateful when he laughed as well. She just hoped he didn't catch on to how insensitive the joke was.

Turning away from him she opened the door and began putting the covered leftovers into the refrigerator, alarmed at how empty it seemed. The poor man, barely having enough money for food or necessities. His marriage was over and yet his ex-wife was completely responsible for this! No wonder he looked like he'd lost weight; a fact that worried her now.

Why hadn't she noticed it before? Once again she felt tears on her cheeks and turned to find him looking at her.

"Daphne, are you okay?"

"What?Oh yes." She lied. "I just... I should go home. Oh, wait a minute..." She could feel him watching her as she reached into the bag and pulled out a large fleece blanket. "Now, this should keep you warm, but if it's not enough let me know and I'll-."

His lips were on hers, slightly cold from the chill in building and yet familiar. But the gesture stunned her just the same.


	6. Chapter 6

She knew that she should draw back, for this was merely an effect of the alcohol that he'd consumed earlier; alcohol mixed with loneliness and shame. She could smell the alcohol faintly on his breath, but she found that she enjoyed kissing him, more than she should. She didn't understand what it meant, but she knew that it brought her pleasure. And so she drew him closer, deepening the kiss.

When she finally drew back she was filled with unimaginable guilt. What had she done? She could barely look at him and hurried to pick up the empty bags. Why hadn't she simply dropped the bags off and left? The car was indication enough that he'd arrived home safely, and she could have left the bags by his door and gone home. But it was too late now.

"Dr. Crane, I-."

"Daphne, I'm in love with you."

The words stunned her and her eyes rose to meet his. "What?"

"I-I wanted to tell you tonight at Frasier's, but-."

"Is that what you two were talking about on the balcony?"

"Well, yes actually but i suppose you had to find out sooner or later, but, well... now that you know... How do you feel about me?"

She was silent for a long time, having no idea how to respond. _Did _she love him? As a friend... of course. _ Could_ she love him? Of course...

She stunned herself at the thought. Never in a million years did she think that she could feel something other than friendship for this dear, sweet and thoughtful man. But now...

"Daphne?"

"Oh right. Your question. I care about you a lot, Dr. Crane and I'm so glad that you're okay. I was so worried! I-." Horrifyingly, tears spilled onto her cheeks but she made no effort to brush them away. "I'm sorry, I-."

He took her hand in his, using his free hand to blot the tears from her cheeks with his handkerchief. "I'm sorry I sprang it on you so suddenly. It's not fair to you, especially since I've had... well, years to realize that I'd fallen in love with you. I wanted to tell you under different circumstances, but-."

She kissed him again, this time feeling no remorse whatsoever. And when she drew back, she smiled, running her fingers through his soft blonde hair. "I think... I think I could get used to kissing you, Niles Crane."

He gasped and drew her toward him, holding her close. "Daphne, this means so much to me, you have no idea. And I promise I won't rush you, all right? We'll take it slow, okay? I-."

She smiled and kissed him again. "I really should be getting back to your brother's."

"Stay, please. It would mean so much to me."

She could feel her heart racing, unable to believe that this is what she wanted... to stay with him for the night, holding him in her arms. Despite her new found feelings, she simply couldn't leave him alone on this cold night. Not after all he had been through.

"Please, Daphne?"

Her fingers brushed against his soft cheek. "I'd love to."


	7. Chapter 7

"Are you hungry, Dr. Crane? You didn't eat much of your dinner tonight."

The question was meant to be one of concern, but he bowed his head as though ashamed. "I know. And I'm sorry. I just-."

"You don't have to apologize. It was just a question. Because I'm a bit hungry meself. Now why don't you change into something more comfortable and I'll heat up these leftovers?"

"Nonsense, Daphne. Why don't I take you out for a nice dinner?"

"That sounds lovely Dr. Crane, but it's Thanksgiving night and I doubt we'd find anything open at this hour."

"You're right. Well, at least let me help you."

"Hush now. Just go and change your clothes, okay? You look so handsome in your nice suit and I don't want you to wrinkle it."

"But-."

She silenced him with a kiss. "Now go on!"

When he was gone, she set to work, heating up the leftovers and then set the table for two. As if by fate, she found some candlesticks and candles, which provided just the right touch for a romantic dinner.

"Something smells wonderful."

She looked up to see him enter the living room, looking so handsome that he nearly took her breath away. "And someone looks wonderful."She quipped, running her hand across his shoulder blade, letting the softness of his green cable knit sweater caress her fingertips.

"They're just leftovers. I'm sorry I didn't prepare anything else. I didn't expect-."

He kissed her lips, making her feel warm, despite the frigidly cold temperature around them. "It's wonderful, Daphne. All of it. You're wonderful."

They ate in comfortable silence, but no words were needed, as they enjoyed their meal and each other's company. Niles apologized repeatedly for not having his usual brand of wine on hand, saying that he simply couldn't afford it, a fact that broke Daphne's heart. But she reassured him with kisses, hoping he knew that his company was all that she needed.

When the meal was finished, she started to clean up but he insisted that she make herself at home while he did the honors. And then he joined her on the sofa, where she wrapped the fleece blanket around their shoulders, snuggling against him to keep warm.

"I'm so sorry you're going through this, Niles. It's not fair and it's wrong and-."

He was staring at her as though in disbelief.

"What's the matter?"

"Daphne... You just called me _Niles_."

"Oh... I'm sorry. I-."

He brushed a fallen lock of hair from her forehead. "Don't be. You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you call me by my first name. And tonight... You've made me happier than I've ever dreamed. Caring about me, worrying about me, coming all the way to my apartment, bringing me dinner, and warmth... and love... I don't know how to repay you."

"Niles, you don't owe me-."

"Anything, Daphne. Anything at all. Please tell me what I can do for you. Please tell me what I can do to make you happy. It would mean so much to me."

She smiled and cradled his face in her hands, eternally thankful for the twist of fate that had occurred on this Thanksgiving night.

"Just kiss me, Niles Crane."

He obliged, his lips meeting hers again and again.

THE END


End file.
